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| A worker in a protective suit stirs molten metal in a furnace at a POSCO plant in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province in this photo taken in 2010. Korea Times file |
By Yi Whan-woo
POSCO and Hyundai Steel will jointly recycle seashells as part of efforts to enhance environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes in steel production.
The cooperation between the country's two largest steel manufacturers is the latest in their push to go green faster, after the steel industry has come under criticism for causing pollution on a massive scale.
POSCO announced on Thursday it jointly developed a new technology with Hyundai Steel to draw out a substance from the shells of oysters, clams and other shellfish as a replacement for limestone ― an intermediate material for steelmaking.
The two companies had Yeosu Bio, a company based in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, carry out research on using shells as an alternative for limestone.
"After a long period of research, Yeosu Bio came up with the technology on our behalf," POSCO said, adding the technology was approved by the National Institute of Environmental Research for commercial purposes, Wednesday.
The question of whether the substance that forms a hard, protective outer layer for shellfish could be utilized instead of limestone to break down iron ore into fine pieces before placing the ore into furnaces has been under consideration for years.
However, no relevant technology had been developed before that of POSCO and Hyundai Steel. Discarded seashells, amounting to between 300,000 and 350,000 tons in Korea ever year, are another source of pollution.
"Against this backdrop, the fact that the steel industry found a way to recycle seashells will be extremely helpful to resolve environmental issues in rural areas, to save mineral resources and to contribute to the economy," POSCO said.
The steelmaker also said its subsidiary, POSCO Chemical, is separately developing a technology to recycle seashells.
POSCO Chemical is responsible for offering chemicals that can filter out sulfur, phosphorus and other impurities while manufacturing steel. Currently, limestone is being used for filtration.
"We've been told POSCO Chemical is in its final stage of technology development," POSCO said.
The company expressed hope that the environmentally-friendly manufacturing process will boost its management based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principle, which has emerged as a key goal for global businesses.
The steelmaker thanked the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, saying the latter has been "extremely supportive."
It noted the ministry was behind a newly-enacted law aimed at facilitating recycling of seashells and other wastes from fisheries. The ministry additionally has been easing regulations to expand such recycling campaigns.
